Cheating happens a lot in our city. It can be hard to know who is really in 1 and who is trying to take advantage of other people's   2.

    Recently, I was finishing my work at home3 the dog barked letting me know that 4 was at the gate. I rushed to see who it was and there I saw a 5 weak woman in her late fifties.

    I said to her, “May I ask what you6?”

    She 7, “Hello, my name is Parvathy. My husband and I live nearby. We earn our living8working at construction sites. A few days ago my9 fell off the stairs while 10 a heavy load. He is 11hurt and hasn't been able to 12for the past five days, so we have no food. Now he is at home in bed with a high fever. Please help me! I need to take my husband to a doctor!”

    “Oh!” I said. “Please13here.” I went into the room. I felt really bad about her 14but ...Was she telling me the15or trying to cheat me out of my money?

    Finally, I 16 to help her. But first I said a simple prayer, “Dear Lord, you know17 I earn my pennies, so please make sure that my hard earned money helps those who 18 need it.”

I went out with a fifty note and19 it to her. The moment she got the money she broke down in tears. She took my hand and said, “Thank you so much!”

    I was so 20, and turned back to my work smiling.

    A big storm took us by surprise. We didn't 1 to be hit hard so we didn't leave our home. When we realized our yard was 2and more water was coming, it was too late to move.

    We had to climb on3of the roof (屋顶) to get away from the water after it started entering the house. The 4 went off, it was extremely dark and we were 5 We had to tie ourselves to each other, because the 6 was very strong. I had my laptop with me and kept posting cries for7 We stayed on the roof for eight hours 8 we were rescued.

    It was a 9 night. Some people lost their lives. Many houses were completely 10 Our neighbor's roof was blown away.11 although our house was also hit, it remained intact (完整的).

    At present, we keep going back, taking many photos—an requirement 12 the insurance company. We expect them to make an assessment of the damage, and then hopefully,13 our losses. And I'm particularly 14 that my university projects were lost. That means more work for me and I am due to graduate in December.

    We are now 15 at a friend's house in Brooklyn. We won't be able to return to our house in months. There's no information about the support for the 16 of this storm. All we hear is to go to the shelter.

    But now I'm 17 because my family and I are alive. And it's important to18 that there are still people 19 food, shelter, or gas in the cold weather. It's a truly terrible time for the city now but I believe everything will 20.

    At the age of sixteen, I went on my first volunteer project with Dad in West Virginia. The family 1 was living in a trailer (拖车) that was in 2 condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, but one problem after another3.

    We decided the only4 was to build a new 5. The family was6 Tuesday that week, we began to7the bedrooms for the family's three boys. Josh, Eric and Ryan8 toys and other gadgets (小玩意) that children usually9 we were astonished when Josh responded, “ I just warn a 10”.

    The boys had 11slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. That night we decided that beds would be the perfect12. As we 13 the frames of the beds together, Erie ran into the house to watch us. Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed 14 from the doorway.

    As my Dad 15 one of the pillows into a pillowcase (枕套), Erie asked, “What is that?” Dad told him it was a pillow. “What do you do with it?” Eric continued to ask. “16 you sleep, you put your head on it” I answered softly. Tears came to my eyes as I 17 Eric the pillow. “Oh…that's18” he said, hugging it tightly .

    Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems very19 Dad gently asks,” Do you have a 20?” We know exactly what he means.

    "Mom, I don't like you," my two-year-old son said.

    "Okay… is that 1 you love me?" I asked.

    "No, you're not lovely."

    That night, as I washed my face, I 2 a little longer in the mirror—not because I was hurt by his 3, but because I noticed there was no light in my 4.

    I took out a pen and started writing a list—a list to 5 myself; a list to put sparkle（火花）back into my eyes. I once made many lists but 6 accomplished anything. This time would be 7!

    The first goal on my list I wanted to achieve was 8 a Polar Plunge to raise money for the Special Olympics. On that day, when I 9 into my 1980s workout clothes, Jack smiled, "Mom, you look 10." Maybe, just maybe some light 11 my eyes.

    When coming out of the cold lake I felt happy and proud. I kept screaming, "I 12 it !" But one of the most exciting parts of the day was when I stood in front of my 13, which was taped on the refrigerator door. I 14 item number one. With that, I began to take back my life.

    Everyone taking part in the Polar Plunge received a 15. Whenever I wore it, Jack asked, "Is that your Polar Plunge clothing?" I answered 16, "Yes!" "I want to do that too." I was happy he remembered I jumped into a 17 lake, and that he wanted to do activities with me.

    With each 18 crossed off（划掉） the list, a piece of myself is 19. Not only am I showing my family it's important to 20, but I'm showing myself that I'm worth it.

A Game of Light and Shade

    It was a sunny day. I had gone up and down the tower when, outside the door at the foot, a blind man came toward me. In a moment, he disappeared up the stairs. I looked at the sign that said "To the Tower", and decided to 1 him.

    I caught up with him in the ticket office. There I was 2 to see the attendant (工作人员) selling him a ticket as if he were any other visitor. Then, with the ticket in one hand and 3 the wall with the fingers of the other, the blind man reached the stairs 4 to the hallway.

    "That man is blind. What would a blind man climb up the tower for?" I said to the attendant, expecting him to show some 5, but he didn't answer.

    "Not the 6 certainly," I said. "Perhaps he wants to 7."

    I bought a ticket and 8 up the stairs. The man hadn't gone as far as I 9. A third of the way up the tower, I heard his 10. I slowed down and followed him at a little 11. He stopped from time to time. When he got to the balcony, I was a dozen steps 12. As I reached it, I saw him at the corner of the tower.

    At last, after ten minutes, I 13 him. "Excuse me," I said as politely as I could, "but I am curious to know 14 you came up."

    He smiled. "Coming up the stairs, you will notice how not just light but sun 15 into the tower through the narrow windows here and there, so that you can feel the 16—the cool stairs suddenly become quite warm—and how up here behind the wall there is 17, but as soon as going opposite a window you can find the sun. There is no 18 so good as this for feeling the difference between light and shade. It is not the first time I've come up."

    The blind man seemed quite 19 just like a child who was enjoying his favorite games. He told me the truth that blind men can also find the beauty in life 20 they cannot enjoy the sights of the world.

    Mr. Jones had always wanted to make a trip into the middle of Africa to shoot wild animals.1his wife had not wanted him to2her. At last his wife agreed to the trip if he allowed her to go, too.

    "But it will be very uncomfortable," Mr. Jones3her. "It will be very hot and we shall live in a tent and it4be dangerous."

    "I don't care," said his wife." I want to go with you". So they bought a big tent, camp beds and many other things which would make the trip comfortable, and went off to the5of Africa.

    The first morning,6Mr. Jones took his gun and left the tent, he7his wife a bell and explained to her," If you feel in8and you need me, ring this bell and I'll come at once. "

    After a few minutes, he heard the bell and returned quickly to the tent. "What's the matter?" he asked. "9" said his wife, "I was only trying the bell."

    Mr. Jones went off, but after a quarter of an hour, the bell rang10. Mr. Jones hurried back to the tent, but his wife said, "I'm11but I was cleaning our tent, and I knocked the bell over 12."

    Mr. Jones returned to his hunting(打猎) but soon he heard the bell once more. This time, when he got back to his13, the tent was burning and Mrs. Jones was lying on the ground, 14 blood running from a big cut on her shoulder, "That's better!" said Mr. Jones. "This time the bell had been used 15!"